6 Steps to Become the Smartest Man at Work

Peak potential equals promotion.

Apr 29, 2015

Office life is violent.

And we don't mean in the employee-tenders-resignation-with-12-gauge-Mossberg sense. White-collar work is more of a mental firefight. Every a.m., your colleagues walk in with brains cocked and loaded with brilliant ideas, gunning to get themselves ahead and leave you behind in a corporate body bag. Bang! You're demoted.

Want to be the last man standing? Pack a bigger brain. Fortunately, you don't need an FBI background check to own some high-caliber gray matter. "The lifestyle decisions we make day by day can profoundly influence whether or not our brains work at their peak potential," says Jeff Victoroff, M.D., a professor of clinical neurology at the University of Southern California medical school and author of Saving Your Brain.

And peak potential equals promotion. So go ahead, squeeze the trigger on these simple get-smart strategies. You're guaranteed to blow away the competition.

While They're Stuck in Traffic. . . take a new route to work.

You probably won't pull into the parking lot any sooner, but at least you'll show up smarter. When British researchers used MRIs to measure the brain sizes of London taxi drivers, they found that cabbies with the most experience had the largest posterior hippocampi—the area associated with memory. Because taxi drivers have to memorize the detailed layout of a geographically complex city and need to recall that information every day, they literally "build bigger brains," says Dr. Victoroff.

Don't have a hack license? Any activity in which you push the intellectual envelope in a similar way—exploring new routes to work, hiking unfamiliar trails on the weekends, even taking on more new projects at work—will, over time, act like Miracle-Gro for your mind.

While They're Eating Bagels. . . have a protein shake.

Swiss researchers found that of three different breakfasts—high-carbohydrate, high-protein, and a balance of both—the high-protein meal helped men score highest on a computer memory test (similar to the electronic game Simon). "Short-term memory can be better after a protein-rich meal because the food increases your levels of the amino acids tyrosine and phenylalanine," says Karina Fischer, Ph.D., the lead study author.

To re-create the 4:1 protein-to-carbohydrate ratio used in the study, pick up a can of Nitro-Tech whey protein (available in chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavors, at muscletech.com and most gyms). Dump 1 scoop of Nitro-Tech into a glass, followed by 1/4 cup skim milk and 1/4 cup water. Stir and gulp. You'll maximize your memory for 3 hours. (An alternative you can chew: turkey jerky, which also has the right ratio.)

When They B.S. at the Watercooler. . . make noise.

The white kind. Studies show that listening to white noise—such as a constant whooshing sound—while you work may actually improve your concentration. "A steady, smooth sound of a constant intensity and regularity reduces the impact of unpredictable noises by making it harder for the brain to process them," says Mary Anne Baker, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Indiana University Southeast.

In non-geekspeak: Since white noise is produced at a constant low level, it can screen out random, distracting sounds without being a distraction itself. The result: Your mind is free to home in on the task at hand.

But don't spring for a white-noise generator; turn your computer into one with free software from nch.com.au/tonegen.

When They Pop Antacids. . . swallow some E.

And some vitamin C, too. In a study of 3,385 older men published in the journal Neurology, those who took vitamin E and C supplements daily performed 20 percent better on tests of concentration, memory, and reasoning than those who didn't pop any.

Researchers believe that the antioxidants in the vitamins protect neurons from oxidative damage that causes a dumbing down. "You could assume that if it works in older men, it would be even more beneficial if you started sooner," says Helen Petrovich, M.D., one of the study authors.

Since most multivitamins are light on E, take a separate 400-milligram supplement twice a day, recommends Guy McKhann, M.D., a professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins University. And stick with a brand that contains tocotrienols, a type of vitamin E that studies suggest is better at delivering oxygen from your heart to your brain.

While They're Pounding Martinis. . . drink white wine.

Everyone else in the office drinks to forget life, but you're going to have a happy hour to remember. Three large European studies recently revealed that people who down one or two alcoholic drinks a day retain their memories better than either teetotalers or heavy drinkers. "Alcohol can lower your cholesterol, so you'll have better bloodflow and more glucose and oxygen reaching your brain," says Dr. Victoroff.

But why sip Chablis? "Red wine gives many people headaches, hard liquor sometimes contains toxins, and beer can sabotage your waistline," he says. "But a glass of white wine may be a great way to keep your brain cells running strong."

When They Reach for the Remote. . . grab your joystick.

Not that joystick, but the one attached to your kid's Xbox. British researchers found that the longer people play video games, the higher their levels of concentration, sometimes equaling a trained athlete's ability to focus. "Playing video games requires a high level of concentration to be successful, and that seems to transfer to the real world," says Jo Bryce, Ph.D., the study coauthor.

The researchers didn't look at which games were more effective, but if you want to blast and zap on your lunch break, go to c-eon.com and download Arcade Park to your handheld. For $15, you get pocket versions of six classic low-tech games: Arkanoid, Asteroids, Black Shark, Digger, Lode Runner, and Pac Man.

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